Although the help forum is partly self explaining. Two important things I think one should do are (1) search previous answers and wiki before and then if necessary (2) ask your question in plain language with details of software such as editor file sources and hardware models such as GPS xyz. what other advice would you give?

The question has been closed for the following reason "Improvements to help.osm.org, like any other part of osm.org, should be requested on trac not here." by
Richard
21 Mar '11, 14:02

A "how does this site work" section at the top of the FAQ would help. Perhaps something like:

How does this help site work?

It's simple - you ask an OSM question, and other people answer it. You then choose which one is the best answer to your question and select that, so that it's available for easy referenence.

People can also vote up and down good questions and answers, and can add comments to both questions and answers.

It's important to keep both questions and answers relevant (don't post follow-up questions in answers, for example), and make sure that you accept an answer if it worked for you. Also, up and down votes are essential for telling good questions and answers apart from the rest - vote early, vote often!

There are suggestions in the FAQ as to what kind of questions are appropriate. There is also descriptions of inappropriate questions, and this one is a good example - it's a starting point for a discussion, not a question that will have a concise answer.

Your correct but there is a need for clarification.some begineers don't understand the thumbs up,thumbs down or tic when correct,or the difference between a comment and answer.I had hoped to improve help usage I could not fine it on wiki,I'll shut up now.

The problem is that people don't immediately recognise it as an OSM equivalent to stackoverflow.com. Not everyone's a programmer and not everyone will have come across stackoverflow-style sites before. Although stackoverflow's far from unique it's "question and answer" style is less common than regular web discussion forums,